


Equestria at War: Lunar Eclipse

by BigSaij



Series: Equestria at War: Lunar Series [1]
Category: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Industrial Revolution, Civil War, Gen, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-10-27 07:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20756867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BigSaij/pseuds/BigSaij
Summary: You are a thestral, living on the outskirts of Canterlot, working in the night trying to make a living where discrimination is widespread against your race. Until one day, your application to work in the royal palace is finally accepted! You finally get to meet the princess of the night, but things start going south, with you roped in the middle...This work was inspired by the popular Hearts of Iron IV mod Equestria at War. After an industrial revolution swept through the world, many nations big and small rose from the ashes of other. On the continent of Equus, the mighty nation of Equestria has not experienced war for millennia, but that will end very soon. The changeling menace continues to build up their army for a great war the likes of which the world has never seen. Will the great bastion of harmony stand against the tides of evil? Or will the Changelings overrun all in their path, and usher in a new hegemony over the entire continent?First Revision: 2/1-[STILL IN PROGRESS]-Top off grammar mistakes-Switch from a team of activists to Rarity-Slow passage of time-Add more scenes in general-More detail-Merge Lunar Eclipse and New Moon into one





	1. A New Job, A New Life

You walk through your small doorway, plopping yourself down on your uncomfortable straw bed. On the east horizon, the sun slowly rises from its slumber, its rays shining through the small window you had. Today you had been lucky; most of the time it would appear before you even finished working, and your flying skills were notoriously terrible under the light of day.

Sighing, you get back up and clop over to your window, which you close the blinds on before returning to your attempts of sleep. It was nothing but irritating right now, which was the last thing you wanted.

Work had been, as usual, terrible. You had been overworked, underpaid, and you were sure that your check was getting lower by the week. You couldn't complain through; who would listen to one of your kind? Thestrals were barely tolerated as it was, and any sort of protest or activism were quickly stamped out. Saying anything would do nothing but being trouble for both yourself and your fellow coworkers.

The factories in Canterlot proper were still humming, no longer manned by batponies. "Normal" ponies were now doing the exact same thing you were just a few hours ago. To call it the same job though would be an insult. The treatment you got compared to them was miles away. They had actual labor laws and restrictions; you had no such protections.

Sometimes, you wondered why you kept going, why you even try in the world. Why you worked in such terrible conditions, why you walked in the city where ponies would shriek and run, where everypony never trusted you. But looking up at the night sky reminded you of the burden you share.

Princess Luna. Working in the castle day and night, not only keeping the dreaming ponies safe, but also trying her best to help her thestrals. Some were bitter, asking why in the seven years since she had returned nothing had changed. But not you. You knew how hard it was to get past the bureaucracy of Canterlot; sometimes you spent a few spare minutes of daytime watching all the bustle inside the palace. She was trying her best, you were sure. She understood the plight of your people. Just like when the ponies shunned and misunderstood the night sky all those years ago, surely Luna would not let the same thing happen to you.

But still... You looked around at your humble house, with its straw roof and frail walls. Not all had benefited from the industrialization of Equestria, with the ponies now living in modern homes and electricity at their beck and call. You and your clan still lived in the darkness, forgotten, alone.

"Hey, ______! There's a letter for you!" The voice cut through your contemplative silence, causing you to flinch. Really, the only sounds you have even gotten used to in your entire life was the pounding of machinery.

But a letter? For you? Who could it be? Your family was long gone, and the only "friends" you could speak of were close enough to just fly over to your house.

"I'm coming!" you say as you get yourself out of bed again and open your door. Walking outside, you raise your hoof, trying to shade your eyes from the glaring sun.

One of your best and oldest buddies, Shadowflyer, was standing outside, carrying the letter in his mouth. "Here, it has your name on it. The royal seal, too. Just what did you do this time?"

"The royal seal? I haven't done anything, I swear! You know I'm too careful for something that would merit a message from the palace."

"Well, obviously. You may be the most boring thestral in all of Equestria." He lets you take the message and look it over. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm tired. I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"Of course. Thanks for bringing this to me!" You wave a hoof as Shadowflyer hurries back to his house, a few meters away from your own. After shutting the door and sitting on your bed, you open the pristine letter.

"Dear ______. Unfortunately, all Lunar Guard positions in Canterlot are currently fully staffed. We do not have any current openings." You hang your head in disappointment, finally understanding what this was about. You had signed up at the castle about a month ago, hoping in vain to finally escape the endless grind of the factories.

Fortunately, there was more written on the note. "However, we are currently understaffed in the royal palace during the night shift. An interview has been scheduled for midnight tomorrow. Please show this letter to a royal guard at the entrance, and they will allow you entry."

At the bottom was the royal seal of the employment department, showing that it was indeed an authentic job offer. After reading it a few more times just to be sure, you gave a whoop of joy. Finally, you were so close to getting out of that dead-end job!

Almost giggling with excitement, you slide the piece of paper under your makeshift pillow, then lay down. Even with the excitement running through your veins, soon enough the sweet embrace of sleep overtook you.

Tonight was going to be a new night.

\---

That new night started with you rolling off your bed, hitting the ground with a thump. Slowly getting up and rubbing your head, you quickly check to make sure that the letter is still right where you left it. After pulling it out and putting it in a faded, makeshift saddlebag, you make your way outside.

"Good, your finally awake." Just like every night, Shadow was already waiting for you. "Ready for another night on the lines?"

"Sorry, Shadow. I'm heading to the castle tonight. Turns out that letter I got was for a job interview! Isn't that great?"

He gave a little laugh, his fangs gleaming in the night. "Only if you actually score it." In a flash, his expression became serious again. "You should watch out, though. Tonight is New Year's Eve, and most ponies will be partying until the morning. Don't let yourself take any of their lies, alright?"

"Don't worry, I'll just avoid them entirely." You wink. "Remember, I know all the back alleyways and hidden passages. I'll be fine!" There had been many a time when you stayed up early to take a look at the stunning architecture in the morning sun.

"You better be! Well, good luck, ______!"

"You too, Shadow!"

Galloping off the small cliff face your house was built on, you spread your bat wings and let yourself glide along the air currents towards Canterlot. Up above, the full moon shone brightly above you, the stars and constellations twinkling in all their glory. The bright lights from the capital of Equestria lit up the royal palace, its gold spires still gleaming in the night sky. The darkness piercing into the heavens, expanding out into the far reaches of space. The night was your time, and you owned it.

Dropping into a nose dive, you spiraled down towards the earth, only pulling up at the last moment to land on your own four hooves in the tight alley. Following it out into the open, you made sure to stay in the shadows as you crept along the edges of the partying ponies. After passing the main procession, you quickly galloped straight to the front gates of the castle.

"Halt!" a night guard said as you approached the entrance. "State your business."

"I'm here for a job application," you say, pulling the letter from your saddlebag. While the normal golden-clad guards filled you with dread and terror, the dark thestral knights were the type of pony you looked up to. Brave, strong and doing whatever it takes to get the job done.

He takes it and opens the note, quickly scanning its contents. "Alright. Second hall on the left, third door on the right. Your interviewer is already waiting for you."

"Thanks," you squeak timidly as the doors open. Instantly, you're shocked at the beauty of the palace, the opulent halls and stunning paintings adorning the walls. Reminding yourself that you'll get plenty of time to admire it when you score the job, you shake your head and start walking again.

Following the guard's instructions, you take a left down the second hall, then open the third door on the right. Inside was a small room, with a single thestral in a chair organizing some papers on a table. Hearing you come in, he turns to face you.

"Ah, hello. You must be one of the Thestrals I sent a job application to. Name?"

"______. It's ______." Your voice was full of nervous energy.

"Ah, I remember reading your application. Nervous? Don't worry, it's just a few simple questions." He gets up to shake your hoof. "I'm Nightwings. Chief Administrator of the royal palace during night hours."

"Wow. I'm talking to the big boss then, huh?" His tone of voice slowly drained the tension, allowing you to settle in a bit better.

"I guess so, if you don't count Princess Luna, of course." He sits back down, gesturing for you to do so as well on the other side of the table. "So, I see that you originally applied to join the Lunar Guard. Why is that?"

"Well, my current job kind of... sucks. I've always seen the guards as my heroes, so I thought 'why not give it a try?'," you explained. Nightwings gave a long sigh.

"I understand where you're coming from. You're not the first thestral to tell us about the terrible conditions out there." He raises an eyebrow, the beginnings of a smirk appearing on his face. "But are you sure that's the only reason why?"

You give a puzzled expression. "What do you mean?" you asked.

"What, do you not want to get up close and personal with the princess?"

You start, nearly falling out of your chair. "Well, I-" you sputter, "I mean I wouldn't mind that!"

Nightwings began to laugh, banging his hoof on the table a bit. "Of course, no thestral would! I haven't met a single one yet who doesn't look up to her!" After quickly regaining his composure, he continued back in business mode. "So, this job would require a lot of filing. How good are you at organization?"

"Well, I've never lost anything unless it was stolen. All those hours on the lines can make a pony almost as mechanical as the machines themselves." You shudder at the memories of the factory, the yelling of the overseer, the harsh punishments everypony would receive if even one thestral stepped out of line.

"Good. We need more filers during the midnight shift. You'll basically be taking important documents around the entire palace to different offices." He slides a paper out of a folder and stamps it. "Congratulations, ______. Welcome to the team."

You perk your head up. "Really?" you ask in semi-disbelief.

"Yep. In fact, your shift starts in..." he looked at his watch. "Five minutes. Your office should be the fourth door on the left once you take a right out of here. Letters and such will fall onto your desk, and it's your job to deliver them. There should be a map of the castle on the wall, use that to start memorizing the halls."

"Well, I..." You were flabbergasted. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome. Now I would hurry if I were you. Wouldn't want to be late on the first night, would we?"

"Of course!" You gallop out the door, immediately taking a right turn. After an eternity in the darkness, a glimmer of moonlight was finally cutting through. Things could only go uphill from here, right?

\---

Numbers, numbers, numbers. Adding and subtracting, multiplying and dividing. Bills, checks, soldier counts... the list went on and on.

It was tedious work, but you were used to that. It was just the sheer number of things you had to do. You had no idea that this much stuff came through Canterlot!

It was still much better then your last job, though. There was no one yelling at you, no two thestrals working less then a foot away... you had the entire quiet room to yourself.

At around midnight, you finished one more equation, then walked out looking for a place to eat your lunch. All the hallways were silent, so you explored a bit, gawking at the huge pillars and massive staircases.

Eventually, though, you found yourself standing over a balcony outside, watching all the ponies cheer as the new year had finally come. Putting your front hooves on the railing, you pulled out your sandwich and watched from above as Princess Celestia finished her speech.

"So thank you, ponies of Equestria! I wish all of you a happy new year!" Everyone started dancing below. Earth ponies gave presents to each other, pegasi flew around dazzling everyone with their acrobatic moves, and unicorns used magic to liven up the whole place.

Finishing your sandwich, you sighed and walked back inside. Clopping down the stairs, you turned around a corner to walk face first into a dark blue unicorn.

"Sorry, my bad," you apologize as they get up. Then you step back, reeling in shock. That wasn't just any unicorn. It was a alicorn. It was...

"Why so shocked?" Princess Luna asked.

"Well I- I mean-" Your voice was locking up. Soon you wouldn't be able to say anything. "Bye!"

You run off, embarrassed, leaving behind a very confused Luna. Going as fast as you can, you reach your door, run in, and close it behind you.

"What have I done?" you ask yourself as you slide back against a wall. So much for a good first impression. You finally meet Princess Luna, the one you've worked so hard for, and you run off without even saying bye?

After a few minutes of moping to yourself, you manage to get back up and into your chair. After all, you still had a lot of paperwork to go, and you weren't about to let some personal business get in the way of your work. You close your eyes, take a deep breath, then delve back in.

\---

Your eyes were getting droopy. Sometimes you were slipping on problems now, and had to redo them, which made the whole process take even longer. But finally, after what seemed like an eternity, you were finished.

As you filed everything in a neat stack for transfer, Nightwings came in. "Ah, I see you're done. Come, I'll show you to your room."

"I have a room?" you asked, shocked.

"Well, us thestrals have a whole section of our own, but there's not very many of us, so some of the beds are always empty. Unless, of course, you want to sleep in your own home?"

"No no, this is perfect." The thought of you, finally sleeping in a real bed, cut through all that tiredness.

"Well, here we are." He opened a door labeled with a crescent moon to show a room with walls as dark as night, with fake stars and a fake moon on the ceiling. Bunk beds were placed against the wall, with the sheets and pillows also black. "Yours will be the top bunk right here."

Tears began to well in your eyes. The job, the home, it was all too much for you. You gave Nightwings a big hug.

"Thank you. You don't understand how much this means to me." you sobbed out. He patted your back with one of his hooves.

"Hey, you're one of the family now, don't sweat it. Now, I still have a few things to do, so get some rest, alright?" He pulled out and turned, closing the door behind him.

Climbing into the top bunk, you pull the covers over yourself and settle in for the day. You didn't know if every day was going to be this crazy, but you knew one thing; your life had gotten a little brighter.


	2. Friendship Games

"Really? You want me to go with you?" asked Shadowflyer as you held out two tickets to this year's Friendship Games.

"Well, who else would I go with? Everyone in the castle gets these, and I need someone to keep my mind off work."

This was half true. Work had been hard lately as planning to create a railroad from Canterlot to Coltfoalnia had begun. As it went through Ponyville and many forests throughout Equestria, there were many logistics problems to be dealt with. You had spent many hours recently doing number crunching to make sure nothing went wrong.

The real reason, however, was because you needed someone to keep you company and awake during the games. Nightwings had already told you that thestrals got their own box to keep things quiet, but he had a tendency to drone on and on sometimes. Shadow's company would be very welcome.

"Well, I'd be happy to come and watch with you. But uh," he said as he looked over at the tickets, "Shouldn't you have told me a bit earlier? The train leaves from Canterlot in five minutes!"

"Oh man, you're right!" You ready your wings. "C'mon, lets fly!" you say as you lift off the ground and speed off towards the castle. Shadow, being a much better flyer then you, quickly caught up.

The two of you do a few tricks along the way, making spirals and loops around each other. The palace shined in the distance, glittering in the sunset. In fact, you could've swore that you saw Princess Luna standing on the top balcony, raising the moon as the sun lowered out of sight.

You both settled down right outside of the train station, just one minute early. The guard looked suspiciously at both of you when you showed your tickets, but got a lot more friendly when you pulled out the Canterlot id card you got recently. He led you both to a car labeled "Reserved". Inside, there were many ponies sleeping, who you guessed were fellow staff at the castle. You and Shadow both settled down near a window as the train started moving.

"That's another thing, isn't it? Too bad our sleep schedules don't align with most."

"Well, maybe you should take a nap," Shadow answered. "You've been looking tired lately, and staying up all day tomorrow won't help. Try to get some rest while you can. It'll be a while until we get to the Crystal Empire."

You lay your head down on a cushion as the endless plains scroll by. The scenery helped a lot, and soon you found yourself dozing off.

\---

"Now entering Crystal City!" The loudspeakers blared you awake. You sat up, groggily rubbing your eyes.

Outside, the scenery had gone from green plains to crystal buildings, signaling that you were in the capital of the Crystal Empire. Famous for its large deposits of magical crystals, it was this year's host for the Equestria Games, which had been renamed the Friendship Games due to the fact that it was no longer always held in Equestria, nor did only equestrians compete.

Most of the other ponies were already awake, moving around and talking among themselves. They gave both you and Shadow a wide berth.

"Hey," you said while nudging Shadow awake, "It's time to go."

"What? Oh, alright." He tiredly got up. Apparently he had been sleepy too, which you understood. The factories were hard work.

The train started slowing down as it approached the center of the city. Banners and decorations were hanging in various places, showing off all the events going on today.

When the doors had opened, you waited for everypony to file out before leaving. You didn't want to attract more attention to yourself, after all.

Navigating the strange new city was easy, as there were many signs pointing out where to go. A side entrance with a sign saying "Canterlot Workers Only" was away from the main entrance, which was packed. You and Shadow took some back ways to avoid others, finally making it to the stadium.

"Tickets, please." You hand your two tickets to to the attendant. He scans them for a second, then puts a stamp on it. "Alright, take the left hallway up."

You walk through into the stadium, taking the left hallway as instructed. Climbing a few sets of stairs, you eventually make up to a large room, filled with various amenities. A glass wall fills your right side, showing the field below.

"Ah, ______! You've finally made it! And I see you've brought a friend, too." Nightwings walks over, holding a glass of champagne.

"Shadow, this is Nightwings. Nightwings, this is Shadowflyer." The two of them shake hooves.

"You're just in time, the games are about to start." Looking out, you can see many ponies getting ready on the sidelines. What grabs your attention the most, however, is the four thrones on the opposite side of the arena. Squinting, you can just make out the figures of Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight Sparkle.

A small purple and green dragon walked out towards the flame, making a loud cheer come out of the crown. Both you and Shadow looked quizzically at Nightwings, who simply said, "It's a local thing."

Then the flame was lit, and the games were on.

\---

You were getting pretty tired. Even though you got a lot of sleep on the train, staying up all day was still taking it's toll on you. Luckily, the last event was just starting, which was ice archery. You found it interesting to watch the arrows freeze the targets.

There were also many different competitors this year. There were earth ponies and yaks for the land sports, pegasi and griffons for the aerial sports, and unicorns for magic skills. You even caught occasional glimpses of Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, two of the legendary Mane Six.

"Well, this was fun to watch. Thanks for inviting me, ______."

"No problem, Shadow." Anything for a friend.

"Hey, wait. This isn't part of the games." Both of you snapped your heads back to the glass window, where the podium was being carried away. A small stage was being assembled in the center.

"Yeah, and where's Princess Celestia?" you asked. That question was answered a few seconds later when she appeared on the stage.

"Citizens of Equestria and of the Crystal Empire! Thank you for coming to this year's Friendship Games. I applaud all who played in the events." This got a round of applause from the entire audience.

The princess waited for the noise to die down. "These games are called the Friendship Games for a reason. It is to remind us that friendship is a very important part of all our lives. In fact, no one demonstrates that better then our very own Twilight Sparkle." Everyone looked at the princess, who looked down at her seat, obviously a bit embarrassed. "She has taught us all that friendship is what holds this very country together. I hope that all of you remember that as we go forward towards the future. Just remember-" she paused for a moment, "Friendship is Magic."

There was another round of applause as Celestia walked off the platform. You clapped as well; it was a nice speech.

"Ready to go?" Shadow walked over.

"Yeah, just give me a second." You felt your eyes droop.

The last thing you saw was a little smile, and the words "Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it."

\---

You wake up in your bed, sleepy but alert. In front of you, you see the outline of Shadow leaving the room.

"Shadow?"

He turns back for a second and smiles. "See you tomorrow, ______."

"See you tomorrow," you say sleepily, right before falling back asleep.


	3. The Arguement

"Carry the one, add seventeen... and done!" You closed your booklet and stood up to stretch your legs and wings. There had been more work than usual tonight, and it was already way past sunrise. You were excited, though; it was almost Shadow's birthday, and you were planning to buy one of those new cars that had just been released. You were just about to open the door when Nightwings walked in.

"Ah, good. You're still here. I need you to deliver something for me."

He looked serious, which unsettled you. Most of the time, he seemed to have at least some lighthearted expression, but this was different. Something was going on.

"Yeah, of course. What do you need?"

"There's been another case of missing weapons. I need you to bring this to Princess Celestia in the throne room."

_Oh jeez, this is serious,_ you thought. Ever since the report came out about the death of the emperor of the Griffonian Empire, the threat of Stalliongrad to the north, and the changelings to the northwest, it seemed that all of Equestria was on edge. Even events like the Summer Sun Celebration, the Crystal Fair, and the Grand Galloping Gala only seemed to take their minds off it for a day at most. Missing weapons now were definitely important enough to bring to the Princess herself.

"Alright, I'll bring it to her on my way out." You were slightly nervous, as this was your first time ever meeting her one on one, but at least you could hightail it out if you needed to.

"Great!" He hands you a file. "Now, I have important business to deal with as well, so I must be off. See you tonight!"

You follow him out of the room before going the opposite direction, heading towards the throne room. It wasn't hard to find; the huge double doors gave it away, along with the fact that it was the only door with royal guards. After showing the file and your id, they admit you inside.

The princess was pacing back and forth, looking on edge. She was either nervous, or bored out of her mind. It was probably the latter, as when she spotted you she looked relieved.

"Well, hello. What's going on?" As you approached, it struck you how majestic and beautiful Princess Celestia was. She radiated a calming aura, and everything about her was just... wow.

"Uh, I have some papers for you. About, uh, weapons shipments. A few have gone missing again." Your tongue was getting tied.

Her face went into a slight frown. "So it happened again? Alright, I'll take a look."

With your business done, and your body locking up by the minute, you take this opportunity to leave before you make a fool of yourself. You had just gotten out the doors, though, when you came face to face with the other Princess.

"Excuse me." Luna sidestepped you, obviously distracted by something. The guards silently let her into the throne room. You, being curious, raced outside as fact as you could. Once out of the castle, you fly around the whole building, coming to a stop nearby one of the throne room windows. One of them was slightly open, which shouldn't have been possible, but you decided not to question it. You listen in.

"Celestia, I've stayed behind the scenes since my return. I... I believe it's time for me to step up and take more responsibility."

There was a moment of silence. "That sounds wonderful, Luna. We were meant to rule together. Did you have something in mind?"

"The thestrals... it isn't right." You almost choked on your own breath. "Living in the mountains, slaving in sweatshops, unwelcome in the cities. I know they don't even want to be 'Equestrian'. especially with all the unpleasantness after, well... you know. But they were my little ponies, and I failed them." Then her voice dropped to a whisper, and you couldn't hear any more.

One moment. Two. Three. A whole minute seemed to pass. Then, in the softest and carefullest voice you ever heard, "Integrate batponies? I'm not sure that's wise..."

You were shocked. Shocked and appalled. After so many years of believing that Canterlot was trying its best to make things right, you hear this. It nearly broke you and your heart.

Luna apparently felt the same way. "How can you say that, Celestia? I failed them! You... you failed them too! What have you done in your millennia for them but pretend they don't exist?! I didn't come here to ask for your permission, I came to tell you my decision. I'll fix this problem, with or without your support!" A few seconds later, the door could be heard being slammed shut.

You flew away, haunted by what you had just heard.

\---

You stayed away for the next few days. Kept your head down and focused on nothing but your work. But the argument was never out of your head. Luna had said she was going to fix this; you wondered what she was going to do. You hoped it was nothing too drastic.

Everything was going back to normal, at least until Nightwings woke you up in the middle of your sleep. You stood up, stopping him from shaking you.

"What the hell, Nightwings? It's..." You look at the clock on the opposite wall, "one in the morning!"

"I know, you're tired. But Princess Luna is holding some important speech in the auditorium in fifteen minutes, and I figured that you would want to hear what she has to say."

This got you awake. You had some idea on what she was going to announce, but nothing accurate. This was something you needed to see.

"Alright, I'm coming." You get out of your pajamas and follow Nightwings to a large theater. Many reporters, newscasters, and castle personal were already seated. You sat down on the top row, your nerves on edge.

After a few minutes and some more ponies filing in, Princess Luna walked onto the stage. Ironically, she looked more nervous then you did. Maybe even as much as when you bumped into her on your first night.

"Citizens of Equestria, for decades all three races of ponies have lived together in harmony. Earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns have almost become one and the same. However, there is one other race among you, who we need to accept as our equals."

"Wait, this is what she's going to talk about?" You had forgotten that Nightwings was in the complete dark right now.

"Yeah, I guess she hasn't forgotten about us yet." But as the princess kept speaking about laws, education, and changing the general feelings of ponies, you could sense the audience's tension growing. It could break at any moment.

"And so, as these reforms come to pass, we shall welcome the thestrals as the fourth official pony race of Equestria!"

Dead silence. "Questions, anypony?"

Then the room erupted into chaos.

There was yelling, confusion, anger. The entire auditorium was filled with noise. "SILENCE!" Luna shouted, and all opposition melted away.

"I... I... will take some questions... please raise your hooves." About two-thirds of the room raised them. Luna pointed at one near the front row. "Yes, you."

A news pony stood up, holding her microphone towards Luna. "Canterlot Chronicles, these reforms will surely be unpopular, have you consulted with the public on this?"

"Well... I ... um..."

"Fillydelphia Enquirer, shouldn't we have a say on allowing new races into Equestria?"

"Yes, but..."

"Canterlot News Network, does Celestia not support these reforms, why isn't she here?"

"Well, that's not..."

Things were going south real fast. It was apparent that no one expected or wanted this. Luna had to do something before it broke out of control.

"Everypony! Of course I value everypony's opinion. I wouldn't force you. We will... um... have a referendum! Yes, a referendum... Thank you, no more questions please!" Luna turned and fled the room.

As all the ponies stood up and starting yelling, you hung your head in defeat. A referendum? There was no chance of something like a referendum passing. Before, Luna could have just passed laws as a royal decree, but now that she said there was going to be referendum she had to hold one. Any chance of equality returning to Equestria was gone.

With a sigh, you walk out and return to your room. Sleep took you out of this cruel world.

\---

Had it been three weeks? Four? You couldn't tell.

Your job had gotten much easier recently; due to recent breakthroughs in electricity, a machine could do most of the work for you. All you had to do was feed it papers in the right order and make sure everything was working properly.

Word had gotten out in the castle that Luna had assembled a team of activists and supporters to help drum up support for the referendum. Surprisingly, they had already convinced the major city of Manehattan to help out. A small spark of hope was shining in your soul again, but you were careful not to let it light. You couldn't handle another heartbreak.

After turning off the machine and leaving the castle, you flew off towards your old house. You had gotten a letter from Shadow a few hours earlier, telling you to meet him there for something important. _Maybe he got a new job, _you thought hopefully.

Landing down softly, you spotted your old friend just a few meters away. He was holding quite a large bag.

"Whew, you got my message. I was starting to think that the letter never made it through."

"Nah, I got it. What's going on?"

Shadow looked a bit uncomfortable. "So, I was sleeping a few nights ago, when Princess Luna came to me in my sleep!"

"Wow, that's pretty cool."

"Yeah, I know right? Anyway, she told me to meet some ponies somewhere in Canterlot, which I did. Then, we got into trucks and got the moonly Las Pegasus delivery."

"Wait, the Las Pagasus delivery?" You thought back to reports a few days ago. "But that was the same shipment which went missing! It was full of-"

Shadow opened the bag, which held a bolt-action rifle and a box of ammo. "Weapons shipments," he finished.

Your jaw dropped. "Shadow, do you have any idea how serious this is? You could get arrested, or worse!"

"But Princess Luna told us to! I trust her judgement, and so should you. I brought this gun for you."

You picked up the rifle. It was a newly converted Lavender Rifle, the most technologically advanced rifle on the market. A good shooter could reload and fire in less then two seconds.

"Please, take it. Even if you never use it, I'd feel much better knowing that you have it if you need it."

You sighed. Having never owned a firearm, you probably never would use it, but if it made Shadow feel better... "Alright, I'll hide it somewhere in my room."

He smiled. "Thanks, ______. You better run off now, before the sun rises and everypony wakes up."

"Alright. It was nice talking to you, Shadow."

"See ya later, ______!"

\---


	4. Winter Moon Celebration

"Now entering Manehattan!" The three of you woke up, all feeling well rested.

Tonight was the Winter Moon Celebration, a new holiday proposed by Princess Twilight Sparkle to spread awareness about Princess Luna and the night. The city of Manehattan has offered to host it; it was the city of ponies who never sleep, and was probably the most tolerant city towards thestrals in Equestria. It even had a small area where the batponies lived, one of few places where they felt safe inside a city.

"We have about an hour until the event starts, so how about we split up and go sightseeing?" Nightwings said while checking his watch.

"That sounds good. I want to check out the thestral district. Got some friends there I haven't seen in a while." You knew Shadow had a wide network of friends; he had spoken about them a lot.

The train came to a stop, and you all walked out into the city, its tall skyscrapers towering above you. "See you in a hour," you say as you walk off in a random direction.

You spent the next hour taking a little tour of the city. You talked with some locals about the upcoming event, you ate an apple pie at a local diner, and visited Rarity's new fashion shop downtown. The hour went by too fast, however, and soon you found yourself trapped in the crowd, watching Princess Luna walk onto the stage in front of you.

"Citizens of Equestria, I thank you for coming. Tonight is the longest night of the year, and heralds in the winter. The days and nights will only get colder from here on out." The crowd whispered, wondering why such a bleak outlook was being presented.

"It is at this time of year, however, that it is most important to keep unity and friendship in our hearts. Tonight, let us celebrate the beginning of a new winter!" As the audience cheered, the princess worked her magic, the moon slowing rising behind her. The beautiful stars became visible, outlining the constellations.

Everypony gave oos and ahhhs, astounded by the beauty that was the night. As Luna walked backstage, the DJ started playing music, and the party started. Ponies danced, talked, mingled, and drank their lives away. You, feeling in the festive spirit, joined in. You ate, met new ponies, and ate some more. You even saw Shadow a few times.

It was at about midnight, though, that things got real. You had just finished talking to a new pony, and was turning to get back to the food table.

"See ya, Pears!" As you rotated, you came face to face with the princess. You took a step back, either too scared or too tipsy to say anything.

"Wait, I remember you. Didn't we bump into each other in the castle one time?" Your face gave an embarrassed look.

"Yeah, that was me." You rubbed the back of your head with a hoof. "So, I heard that you're trying to help us out, huh?"

Now Luna looked a bit embarrassed. "Yes, well, I think it's unfair that you're treated differently."

"Oh really? Do tell." As the princess started talking, your mind became... unfocused. Cloudy. Things started to become a bit blurry. The last thing you remembered before your brain went out was a shocked look on Luna's face.

\---

"______, wake up! ______!"

You woke up with a start, feeling nauseous. The train rumbled beneath you, with both Shadow and Nightwings looking over you with concerned faces.

"Oh, hey guys. What happened?" Your head was still shaky.

"Judging by how you aren't scared out of your mind, I'm guessing you were too drunk to remember." Shadow's voice was a weird mix of awe, terror, and confusion.

"No, I guess I don't. What happened?"

Nightwings' eyes darted from one side to another. "Well, me and Shadow saw you talking with the princess. Everything was going fine, until apparently you asked the princess for a dance."

You sat up straight. "I WHAT?"

"Yep. Luna was as confused as you are. You should have seen the look on her face." Shadow gave a snicker. "Anyway, the two of you took center stage almost immediately. You started out good enough, doing a nice waltz, but then some country music came on, and well..."

"You did some sort of country-style worm dance. Then you passed out, and we had to drag you off," Nightwings finished.

You buried your face in your hooves. This was probably the worst thing to happen to you ever. Being drunk not only in front of all of Manehattan, but also in front of the princess herself? You would never recover.

"I'm so dead," you say as the train speeds off towards the castle, your home and your eventual doom.

\---

"Such a shame," you say reading the day's newspaper. The front page article was about the Aquileian Revolution, but what you were more interested in was a small column about how the old days of magic were long gone, and even though today brought many modern comforts, there were also parts of history lost forever. "So true."

The door opens, and two royal guards walk into your workspace. "Follow us," one of them says.

You oblige, trailing them through the castle onto the upper floors. It was only when they stop at a door with a picture of a moon on it do you not want to continue. Unfortunately, knowing that you don't have a choice, you walk in anyway.

Princess Luna was sitting on her bed, reading some sort of script. She drops it and walks over when she sees you some in.

"Look, princess, if this is about the party back then, I'm really sorry about that. I was-"

"Yes, I know you were drunk. But this isn't about that. Right now, I have need of your unique skills."

Now you were confused. "What unique skills?" you ask.

"When you asked me out for a dance that night, I was very surprised. Not only because no one has ever had the bravery to ask that to me, but also because I wasn't scared to say yes. Something about you brings out some courage in me, and I'll need that tomorrow."

"Tomorrow? What's going on tomorrow?" There was nothing on your schedule.

"I'm going back to Manehattan to give a speech on the injustices on thestrals. I was hoping you'd come along to bring out my courage."

Your brain exploded. Princess Luna, a diarch of Equestria, was asking you to come with her. This was too good to be true. "Well, of course I'd like to help out," you stammer.

"Excellent. A guard will wake you up tomorrow morning, where you'll come with me on my carriage to Manehattan. Until then, you have the rest of the day off." She waved her hoof at you. "You are dismissed."

\---

You, along with a team of activists, stood on the sidelines and watched Princess Luna walk up onto the podium. She looks at you for a moment, and you give a nod. She doesn't need friendship right now. What she needs is determination.

"Today, a batpony slaves in a factory, bullied and underpaid, as we stand and enjoy the life they have made possible! Equestria, is this friendship?"

"NO!" the crowd yells back.

"Today, a batpony mother cries, her sick foal unable to access the same healthcare that every pony here takes for granted! Equestria, is this friendship?"

"NO!" the crowd yells even louder.

"Today, a batpony intending to come to this very rally was blamed and beaten for a crime, just because she was in the neighborhood!" You help a younger thestral onto the stage, her weak body bandaged and racked with bruises. The audience gasps.

"EQUESTRIA, IS THIS FRIENDSHIP?!"

"NO!" Even you and the activists had yelled it out. All of you were filled with the same anger and rage that everyone below had.

"I stand before you and ask for your aid not as a princess, but as a pony! I once made the mistake of commanding friendship! Friendship is freely chosen! It can not be ordered! I need your help, Manehattan! Will you help me? I ask every pony to join with me and fight those who would dare call this friendship!"

The rage was channeled out. Princess Luna left it at that, at her highest point. You were angry at ponies, Princess Celestia included. _What has she done to help us? Why did she try and stop Luna?!"_ you think, your mind filled with rage. Not one pony looked different as they dispersed, flowing back into the city.

Luna walked over to you. "So how was that?" she asked.

"It was perfect," you say. "I really felt your emotions, and you helped push out my own. I'm sure all the other ponies feel the same way, right guys?" Everyone behind you nodded.

The princess smiled. "Thanks for being here with me. You really helped me find my footing."

"Ah, I'm sure you would've done fine without me. I'm glad that I was able to help, though."

Luna turned to the activists. "Anything else you need from me?"

They looked at a few lists. "No, I think that's everything," a blue unicorn said.

"Well, if that's the case... let's get back to the castle, ______."

"After you, princess."

\---

It was the dead of night. You approached Shadow in a deserted alley somewhere in Canterlot.

"So, what's so important?"

Shadow looked to make sure no one was listening. "I heard from some friends that Luna's big speech is going down the day of the referendum. Some tribes are planning to come along as security, just in case. They'll be armed."

"Shadow, this is getting out of hand! Nothing is going to happen!"

"It wasn't my idea!" A light went on in a building nearby, and both of you hushed down. When it went out again, he continued.

"Look, if they're coming armed, I think you should as well. The princess trusts you; you can probably get in as security if you wanted to. If everything goes right, you won't need it. But I have a bad feeling about this."

You roll your eyes. "Well, I guess all of this will be over after the vote happens. Alright, I'll see what I can do."

He nods. "Thanks. I'll be there as well, just in case." He flies off, leaving you wondering if you made the right decision, or if you made a huge mistake.


	5. Chaos Reigns

Tonight was the night. Manehattan was filled with ponies, all marching for the same goal; for your goal. Princess Luna stood by you, ready to present her final speech while the votes were still being tallied. Tonight would make or break the dreams of an entire race, your race.

Reports from other news channels had come in about similar smaller marches all across Equestria, which most people were now referring to as the Million Mare March. When Luna had heard of so many supporting her, you could've sworn that you saw a tear.

Then, at exactly midnight, all the ponies stopped. They waited in front of the stage, waiting for their princess to speak to them.

"Don't worry, princess. I'm sure you'll do fine. You've gone too far to do otherwise."

She gave a weak smile. "Thanks, ______. I guess it's time for what we've all been waiting for." She walked on out to the stage.

All the ponies gave a loud cheer, the sound echoing throughout the city streets. Luna's team stood on the sidelines, hoping that all their work would not be in vain.

"Ponies, tonight, we march for justice! Justice for those who have been left behind, forgotten in Equestria!" A cheer broke out.

"Tonight, we march for hope! Hope for a brighter future for all of us!" Another cheer.

"Tonight, we march for dreams!" Luna faltered for a bit. You held your breath. She couldn't stop now. We were too close to our goal to stop now!

When she found her voice again, it was much softer. "As princess of night, I protect and nurture the dreams of Equestria. Standing before you, I realize now how gravely I have misunderstood that role. For what use is a dream if we do not strive to make it real?"

"Tonight, I make a promise. On this night, in the city that never sleeps, I will make the dreams you have entrusted to me a reality! The first of many dreams becomes real tonight! A dream of friendship! Of a great wrong righted! Of night and day made whole again!"

A tear streaked down your face. A tear filled with hopes, with dreams. The speech was so beautiful, that as the moon shone down upon the city, you couldn't believe that anyone would not support your cause. The future was looking brighter by the minute.

And that was when the bomb exploded.

\---

You were flung back from the stage, heat burning your face. Shrapnel carved deep cuts into your face, causing blood to pour. You lay on the ground, head ringing, everything hurting.

But you were still alive.

Not everyone was so lucky.

A white stallion, his eyes once full of hope, now lay dead, glassy eyes unmoving.

Pure rage rushed through your veins. Some reactionary had attempted to assassinate Princess Luna, killing innocents in the process. The unfairness, the unjustness of it all gave you strength. You pushed yourself up to your feet.

Thestrals flew above the skies, looking for any more danger. Ponies ran, terrified of more bombs. And the princess, well... her eyes will filled with hatred.

The moon turned blood red. The color bathed all beneath it in a crimson red, including Luna herself. These were not the dreams of the hopeful; these were the nightmares of the terrified.

Luna's magic began to form, swirling around her. This magic was different though, it was darker, and more powerful than you had even seen. She was pulling it forward with reckless abandon.

"Luna, no!" You tried to rush forward, but it was too late.

Luna transformed into something else. She grew taller, more intimidating. You could feel her power growing to rival Celestia's herself. You knew who this was; you had heard the stories. Of Luna's darker side. Of...

"Nightmare Moon," you breath out.

She began to laugh. Not Luna's light joyful laugh. This was something darker, more sinister. Of some ancient evil awoken.

The blood moon throbbed. Luna's former followers, ponies and thestrals alike, began moving again, controlling those still panicking, tending to the wounded. Nightmare Moon gave one last laugh, then walked off.

You, either out of your mind or entranced by magic, slowly followed her.

\---

Gunfire was heard all across the city. It seemed that hostilities had already begun. You had your rifle ready for safety, but didn't plan on using it. You didn't want anyone killed, after all.

After walking for a while, Nightmare Moon turned and seemed to notice you for the first time. She gave a little smirk, then took to the air. You followed, your wings cutting through the cool night air.

Once you two had reached the peak, complete darkness was all around you. It seemed the power was out as well, because all of Manehattan was dark below you. Gunfire was still ringing out, however.

"Ponies of Equestria!" Nightmare Moon's voice carried out unnaturally across all of Manehattan. "Celestia, my sister, has gone mad! She has stopped at nothing to oppose batpony equality. As her equal and fellow diarch, I am forced to assume governance of Equestria."

_This was bad,_ you though. Nightmare Moon was essentially committing an open revolt against Equestria. This would most likely lead to a full blown civil war.

And now, you were trapped. You didn't support this cause at all; it would lead to further bloodshed. But if Nightmare Moon was banished once again to the moon, thestrals would most likely be treated even worse then then were before. The only option available to you, and your entire race, was to either fight, or die.

You chose to fight.

You rush back down into Manehattan, trying to find the one person here who could end this war quickly. She had to be caught before she escaped. You touch down in front of the fashion store, walking inside with your rifle at the ready.

"Finally, someone to tell me what's going on!" The posh, sophisticated voice rang out through the shop, easily letting you find her.

"Why'd the power go ou- Hey, what with the gun? This is a fashion store, not a battlefield!"

"Rarity, in the name of..." You spit the name out. "Nightmare Moon, you are under arrest."

"Nightmare Moon? Well I-" But by then, you had already gotten to her, smacking her head with the butt of your rifle. She crumpled to the floor.

You hoisted her over your shoulder, then carried her out back into the night sky. With one of the Elements of Harmony gone, Equestria was deprived of its most powerful weapon. This war would not be won by magical lasers and artifacts, but by blood and steel.

You fly back to Nightmare Moon, your prisoner in tow. "Princess... Empress, I have captured one of the Elements of Harmony."

She turned, looking genuinely surprised. "Yes, I see that you have. At first I thought that you were too attached to my other self to be of use to me, but now I see that I am mistaken." She gave another evil laugh. "I have a feeling that you'll be my greatest servant yet."

She then left back for the surface, leaving you shocked, scared, and with the limp body of an Element of Harmony.

\---

"My lady, cults and tribes from all across Equestria are declaring their support for you. They are bolstering our ranks as we speak."

It had been two weeks since the civil war had kicked off. Nightmare Moon, in an odd turn of events, thought you better to serve her as a general instead of an advisor, and sent you off to learn from the best teachers in all of former Equestria. Now, you stood in front of her once again, briefing her on current events and waiting for your next assignment.

You continued reading off multiple reports from Equestria. "Discord has announced that he will not intervene in the current war. When asked, he stated 'Chaos is reigning everywhere, why would I intervene?'."

"Good, that takes one useless enemy off my list." You sighed. Luna was much more agreeable then her.

"Stalliongrad has used the civil war to creep down south and take more Equestrian land from us. While this can not stand, we must allow it for now. Fighting a two front war would be disastrous."

Silence. You went on to the final report. "General Echo has planned an attack on Ponyville, striking from the Everfree Forest. She asks for any reinforcements you can spare."

"Good, then that is your next assignment." Nightmare Moon walked over to the window, where all of Manehattan could be seen. "I am assigning the Shadowbolts thestral division to your command, general. Take them and aid in the attack on Ponyville. Do not let me down."

You bowed. "Of course, my lady." Slinking out of the building, you fly off towards Ponyville, and your first battle against the forces of Harmony.


	6. Battle of Ponyville

As the sun slowly set over the Everfree Forest, you and Echo planned your attack on Ponyville. Both of you agreed that it needed to be taken at any cost; it was one of the few crossings of the river, and kept Canterlot safe from an attack from the south. It had to fall.

The problem was, the town lay in a very defensible position. The only way to reach it by land would be to cross the bridge, which would most likely be guarded and trapped to hell. A frontal attack would be suicide.

It was the only option, however, so you and Echo lay out a plan. You and the Shadowbolts would fly over and take out any defenses on the other side, then give a signal to the main attack force. They would then charge, rushing in to take the city before the Equestrians could regroup. It wasn't a very good plan, but it was the best you two could think of.

"Well, we'll have the night on our side. I just hope that it'll be enough." You looked into the distance, where the sun was just disappearing over the horizon.

"Don't worry, newbie. Just do your part, and I'll do mine. We will beat these traitors." It was funny, how Echo looked like a nice thestral, but really was one of the most violent ponies you've ever met. It was kind of scary.

While she was getting her troops ready, you walked over to the Shadowbolts. "Alright, ponies. We are going to fly over there and take out anyone over the river, then call for the main advance. I have every expectation of success from each of you. You are the best of the best, equipped with the greatest technology on the planet. We can not fail!"

"Let's do this!"

"We got this!"

"For the night!"

Satisfied with your speech, you wait until the right signal to start the attack. All the thestrals behind you ready their wings. They looked ready to face anything. You weren't even ready to kill someone yet.

As soon as the moon above was visible, you made your first move. "Shadowbolts squad one, move in!"

About five thestrals ran forth, jumping just as they hit the river line, gliding over the water. Landing on the other side, they slipped back into the darkness.

You waited one minute. Then two. It was just approaching the three minute mark when the signal was heard.

"BANG!" The gunshot echoed through the night.

"Alright ponies, let's go!" The rest of you followed the forward advance, crossing the river and running towards the sound. You could hear the small stampede of regular ponies behind you, charging across the bridge.

Ironically, for such a crucial location in Equestria, the town seemed relatively unguarded. You and the Shadowbolts managed to dispatch any resistance in the village with ease. Your squad had already pushed through half the town when you heard a whinny behind you.

You turned your head just in time to see the bridge behind everyone collapse into rubble. Someone had rigged it to go off. The question was, why did they hold off on it until everypony had crossed? It was like they wanted all of you on the other side, but that was impossible. Not unless...

The ground rumbled, shaking you to your knees. Something big was coming this way, and you had a terrifying idea of what was coming. There had been papers you had seen, of a new war machine. Outfitted with two machine guns and about a metric ton of steel. Canterlot called it the Sparrow; most people referred to it by a wider term.

"TANK!" you screamed as it came rolling down the street. "FIND COVER!"

You and everyone else ran behind buildings, trying to get out of the line of fire. The few that didn't make it in time were mowed down by the rain of bullets.

"Sir, what do we do?" one Shadowbolt asked.

"Our guns won't do anything, the armor is too thick. Our best bet is to throw grenades at it from above. The machine guns can't fire upwards."

You and two other thestrals pulled out a grenade from your bags. Together, you flew up above the Sparrow.

"Pull the pin and throw on three." The others nodded.

"One....two..."

A loud buzzing noise cut you off. It wasn't coming from the tank, however. This noise was coming from behind you, in the air. "Uh oh."

Another spray of bullets struck you from behind. You could only watch as they shredded your teammates, your wings, and your front right leg. As you fell back to earth, you saw three Gladiator biplanes strafe over you.

Crashing into a small alley, you're pretty sure that you broke half your bones landing on the ground. You could only lay there, groaning in pain as tanks rumbled past, and planes buzzed above.

After who knows how long, you heard a voice coming down the alley. "______!" it called out.

You turned around to face him. Expecting an Equestrian soldier, you were surprised to find an old friend.

"Shadow, what are you doing here?" He winced when he saw the condition you were in, then slowly helped you onto his back.

"Wait, didn't you recognize me? I'm one of the Shadowbolts now!"

"Wait, Shadow, we need to get everyone out of here!" you say as he carries you out of the alley back into the night, "there's no way we can win here!"

"I know. General Echo has already called for a retreat, and most earth ponies and unicorns have fled north and south towards other bridges. The other Shadowbolts have already gotten out of here too."

"Then why are you here?"

"Well I couldn't leave you behind!"

As he unsteadily glided over the river, you found it hard to keep your eyes open. Either you were becoming a creature of day, or there had been a lot more blood loss then you thought.

"Hey, ______? Stay with me here! ______!"

The last thing you saw before your eyes closed was the trees of the Everfree Forest, blocking out the stars and moon in the night sky.

\---

You couldn't move your leg. You couldn't move your wings. Both were stuck in casts while the healing magic ran its course.

The doctors tried their best, but instant healing was something only the most talented unicorns and alicorns could do, and it wasn't like Nightmare Moon was willing to lend a hoof. As such, it would be at least a few days before you could get back in action.

The white door opened, and Echo walked in. Just the person you were hoping to see.

"Echo, what happened? Everything's sort of hazy right now."

"Those biplanes got you pretty bad. You're lucky Shadow got you out in time, or you might have bled out or gotten captured. That was a nasty ambush."

"What about my squad?"

"The Shadowbolts have been reassigned under my command until you're back into the field."

You were a bit confused. "Wait, so I'm not fired from my post for that?"

Echo gave a slight nod. "When I broke the news to our empress, I may have exaggerated your heroics in battle. She thinks that it was because of you that any of us made it out alive. You were also lucky, though. I was able to break the news right before she learned of the south breaking free. Man, was she pissed."

This only boggled your head more. "Why would you do that for me?"

Echo gave a sly grin. "I think you have potential, rookie. It'd be a shame if your talent was wasted on day one."

What talent? All you saw was someone who led an entire division into a trap. Sure, you were grateful, but also scared of what would happen should you fail again.

"Also, you said something about the south? What's going on there?"

She sighed. "Apparently the south has split into different independent states. The Disciples of the Night, who support us under Stars Whirl, the Celestial State of Equestria under Daring Do, and the Baltimare Republic and Aztlan Free State, who are independent parties fighting for control of the region."

Well, that was that. This war got worse and more confusing by the minute. At least the night still held some sway over the south, but that was not guaranteed to last.

"Anyway, that's enough war talk for now. Get some rest, I heard that the empress herself has an important assignment for you as soon as you're healed." Echo turned off the light and started walking out the door.

"Get well soon, ______. We need you." Then the door closed, leaving you in complete darkness.


	7. Sacrifice

"What's the problem?" Nightmare Moon asked, oddly in the same way that Luna would.

The bureaucrats in front of you all cowered at the question, seemingly too afraid to answer. Eventually, one of them was shoved forward, holding a letter. "We are sorry, princess... We have urgent news..."

Nightmare Moon took the letter and ripped it open in one swift motion. Her face fell, and everyone but you all ran. The last one shut the door behind you, leaving only you and her.

"What does it say, princess?" You were curious at what would make all of them so scared.

"It is nothing." She let the letter drop to the floor. The writing was illegible from that far away, but you could clearly see the stamp that signaled the city of Las Pegasus. You couldn't be sure, but your best guess was that they had declared independence.

"So, princess. You said that you had a mission for me?"

"Yes, I do." She walked to her window, looking out over Manehattan. "One of utmost importance."

You gulped. That meant that if you failed, your punishment would most likely be much worse then being fired. "What is it?"

"Most of my thestral divisions are attacking over the mountains on which Canterlot lies. They are not meant to actually win; they are a distraction. You and the Shadowbolts will attack around the less guarded mountains, then join with the other thestral division on the other side. Both of you will then pincer through the mountains, surrounding the Equestrian forces."

_Smart,_ you thought. Simply pushing the Equestrians back meant little in terms of neutralizing enemy forces; by surrounding them we gain all the equipment and capture all the soldiers.

"I will not fail you, princess," you say as you kneel before her.

"I trust that you won't. Now go."

\---

"Sire, we have almost reached the rendezvous point. Once there, we can start the attack on the Equestrians."

"Good." The whole day had been nonstop flying. Thestrals were the only ones who could climb these mountains fast enough to surround the enemy forces. This meant that there would be no backup if you needed it.

So far, though, it had been smooth sailing. You had encountered no enemies while flying, and just past the ridge was the meeting location.

"Hey, ______!" It was Shadow, who was wearing a pair of binoculars. "I think you might want to see this."

You grabbed the pair from Shadow and looked through. "God damn it."

It was the Wonderbolts. Not only that, but the Mane Six, or rather the Mane Five was with them. Pinkie Pie and Appledash, who were in a purple balloon, were just appearing over the horizon.

Most of the Shadowbolts had also noticed the large vessel coming up the mountain. They knew who it was; the Mane Six were widely known throughout Equestria.

"Sire, how can we beat them?"

"We're doomed! Doomed!"

"We can't win!"

"Everyone, calm down!" you shout, making everyone fall silent. "The Mane Six may have done many things, but they are still regular ponies. Remember, they are down one member."

One Shadowbolt stepped forward. "But general, what about Twilight Sparkle? She's an alicorn, how can we fight that kind of magic?"

You looked at Shadow, who was staring right back at you. "Don't worry about Twilight. Lieutenant Shadow and I will take care of her. I've captured one member of the Mane Six, and I can do it again!"

Everyone gave a cheer, though it was small and sounded halfhearted. As you walked past Shadow, you whispered, "I hope."

"They're coming in! I'd say about thirty seconds until they arrive!"

"Alright, ponies!" you yell. "Remember, keep calm and always be moving! Staying still is a perfect way to get shot. Take your time, plan your shots, and you'll be fine! I will see you at the end of this battle!"

"YEAH!"

"CHARGE!"

You all fly down towards the approaching Wonderbolts. You lead the charge, already knowing your target. Shadow was on your flank, there to support you if needed.

"Ready!" There she was; the purple alicorn herself.

"Aim!" Could you win? You had no magic to use, and your flying skills were mediocre at best. You were in way over your head.

"FIRE!" Then all hell broke loose.

The whole sky was a blur of pegasi and thestrals, as they circled each other while reloading their rifles. The ground was already littered with corpses from both sides. Some were still moving, blood pouring from their wounds.

You had to keep moving most of all. Twilight had no rifle in her hand, but she had her horn, and it fired much faster and just as deadly as your gun. For the Princess of Friendship, she was very dangerous.

"Where's Rarity?!" Apparently she was focused enough to shoot and yell at the same time. You, on the other hand, could barely dodge her shots as it was.

After firing at her, buying you a few seconds, you yell back, "She's somewhere safe and sound, where she can't use her Element of Harmony!"

"Let her go now!" You hoped that a new gun was in the works, because right now, reloading seemed to take forever. It wasn't as bad as a musket, but cocking back and forth seemed to take an eternity.

The bodies were piling up on the ground now. Unfortunately, it seemed that the Wonderbolts were getting the upper hand. As skilled as your Shadowbolts were, they were less effective during the day. If this kept going, you would lose.

You also shouldn't have looked for so long, because by the time you saw the purple bolt flying towards you it was too late. You tried to dodge, but it blasted right through the tip of your wing, causing you to plummet.

By the time you had righted yourself, you were too far down to recover. The best you could do was crash land on the nearby flat rock. Eventually coming to a rolling stop, you found it hard to move your body. Everything hurt.

Twilight Sparkle set down in front of you, magic swirling around her horn. "You're going to order the other thestrals to surrender, now!"

You gave a broken toothed smile. "Wouldn't be a very good general if I said that, wouldn't I?"

At this point, you didn't care if you were captured. Hell, you didn't even care if you died. Either way, your time in the war was over. Better to go out in a blaze of glory then to surrender without a real fight.

As you prepared for the inevitable, you heard a voice from far away. "______, no!"

It was Shadow. He was diving right towards you, aiming for Twilight.

"Princess, watch out!" A Wonderbolt raised his rifle at Shadow.

"SHADOW, NO!"

Time seemed to slow for a second. You could only watch as the bullet fired from the rifle, traveled through the air, and hit Shadow square in the flank. He stumbled, his wings stiffening for a second.

Then he crashed to the ground a few feet away from you.

You took advantage of Twilight's distraction to sideswipe her knees. She fell to the ground, stunned for a moment. You rush over to Shadow, who was breathing heavily.

"Shadow, no! You can't leave me now! Not like this!" Tears started to fall as you saw the extent of the damage. No healing could save him now.

"Guess this is the way things go. Sorry for failing you, general."

"Shadow... please..."

He smiled up at you. "Fight on, ______. Fight for the both of us. For all thestrals." He held a hoof up.

"Shadow..." You grabbed it.

"Goodbye, ______." Then Shadow's eyes went blank, his hoof went limp, and his head fell to the ground.

"No..." But he was gone. The friend you had known for what seemed like forever lay in front of you, dead.

Even when you thought he was crazy, that he was just being paranoid, Shadow was always working to help you. Without him, you would have never gotten that rifle, learned of the impending civil war, or gotten out of Ponyville. And now, he had saved you one last time.

You let go of his hoof, then slowly closed his eyes. Standing, your hooves shook with rage as you turned to face Twilight Sparkle.

Behind you, there was a familiar buzzing sound. Planes flew overhead, turning to aid in the battle. But these were not here to kill you. The moon symbol was clearly emblazoned on the side.

And as mountains of bullets flew behind you, you charged.

\---

Red filled your vision as you fired, reloaded, and fired again with pinpoint accuracy.

Twilight was now forced on the defensive, only firing two blasts while you reloaded, and dodging the rest of the time. Whenever you knew that it wouldn't connect to Twilight, you aimed at a Wonderbolt. Every single time, that Wonderbolt would fall, a bullet in their head.

The tide was beginning to turn.

Finally, you got a lucky hit in. While Twilight was distracted dodging a strafing plane run, your bullet went right through a wing. It sent her into a downward spiral, crashing into the mountain. You heard a snap, and instantly knew that an ankle was broken.

It gave you a pang of pleasure.

The purple balloon carrying Pinkie Pie and Applejack was nowhere to be seen anymore; it must have crash landed on the other side. Rainbow Dash was one of the few Wonderbolts still standing, and Fluttershy had most likely gone into hiding somewhere. It was just you and her.

As you touched down, you heard her call for help. "Applejack! Fluttershy! Anyone, help me!"

You touched the muzzle of your rifle to the back of her head, and she froze. "I see one bit of magic come out of that horn, and you're dead." Nothing came out.

At first, you wanted to shoot. You wanted her to die so badly. But as the rage slowly cleared form your head, you thought about what Shadow had said earlier. To fight for him.

Twilight was, in a way, doing the same thing. She didn't want him to die, she was just fighting for what she believed in. If you killed her for that, you'd be a hypocrite.

After a long sigh, you retract the gun from her head. As she tried to stand, though, you whacked her in the head with the butt of it. She crumpled to the ground, unmoving.

"EVERYONE!" you yell out, getting both sides to stop for just a second. "I have the princess! Cease your fighting, and we will let you collect her, the wounded and let you go!"

The Wonderbolts, though suspicious, stopped flying. The Shadowbolts, under your command, ceased as well.

Rainbow Dash flew over to you, gave you a hard stare, then grabbed Twilight and glided off. The few Wonderbolts that were left also walked among the bodies, finding those still alive and making off with them. As you slowly fly back up the mountain, a newer Shadowbolt comes up next to you.

"Gather up all the wounded as well and meet me at the rendezvous point. We need medical supplies."

"Of course, sir." He hesitated. "If I may... Why did you let them escape?"

You looked at him for a second. "Sometimes, a stalemate is better for both sides, private. I hope you learn that some day."

And with that, you left him behind, your right wingtip still aching from the battle.


	8. Fight for Canterlot

A small earth pony timidly walked into your tent, knees slightly shaking. "General," she said as she bowed, "I have a message from the empress."

Pulling out a letter from her bag, the mailpony set it on the table in front of you. The lunar symbol on the front indicated that it was in face from Nightmare Moon.

"Thank you," you said, watching the tired pony. "Why don't you find a tent and rest somewhere? You've earned it."

"Yes, sir!" She left immediately. With that dealt with, you turned your attention back to the letter. Opening it, you read the message aloud to yourself.

"General ______," you say, "I have received word of your victory over the Mane Six, and I must say, I am impressed by your performance. However, there is no time for rest yet. Celestial resistance to my rule is growing everywhere, and the fact that some of my... less civilized generals are killing prisoners of war isn't helping. I need something to break their spirit, and fast."

_Killing prisoners of war? How barbaric,_ you thought to yourself. To stoop so low was an outrage, both among warfare and common decency in general. The more casualties now, the harder it would be to rebuild Equestria later.

"That is why I am ordering an attack on Canterlot as we speak. Your forces are already on the mountain; attack the castle from behind while they are distracted. Do not fail me."

You set the letter down. An attack on the capital? Now? You had just gotten your reinforcements for the Shadowbolts a few hours ago! Ordering an attack now would throw any semblance of organization out the window!

It wasn't like you had a choice, though. An order from the empress was not something you could just ignore. Shaking your head, you walk out of your tent into the cool dusk.

"Squad, form up on me!" Your voice echoed through the mountains, making it all the more obvious to your troops. In about five minutes, everyone was awake and standing in formation.

"I have just received new orders from the empress herself! We are to remain on standby until the attack on Canterlot starts. Once it begins, we will provide cover from behind, taking the castle itself!"

Nervous excitement among the troops spread. Though memories of the last battle were still fresh, the idea of taking the capital made it impossible to not be excited. Once Canterlot was taken, victory was almost assured.

"Remain ready for action at any moment. I fully expect you to follow me into battle in less then five minutes after the signal is blown. Until then, you are dismissed." The thestrals scattered, talking among themselves and prepping their weapons for battle.

Meanwhile, you pulled out the binoculars you had inherited just a few days ago. Looking through them, you watched the royal guards patrol the heavily guarded castle.

"Now to watch, and wait."

\---

You look up at the night sky about you. The full moon about you signaled that midnight was just upon you. You were just pulling out an apple to eat when a flash of light shined below you.

You dropped the fruit and looked through the binoculars again. There was no need, however; just a few seconds later gunshot started ringing out.

"Shadowbolts, on me!" You grabbed your Lavender Rifle and flew downwards. Less then fifteen seconds later, almost half your squad was right on your heels.

"Sergeant Lightmoon, take your platoon and clear out the right wing! I'll take the left!" He nodded and split off from the attack with about half your soldiers.

With the rest of your teammates, you shatter through one of the many glass windows. Flying up into firing position, you shoot at the nearest royal guard. It bounced harmlessly off his armor, but he was startled enough for you to get a good hit with the butt of your rifle. He crumpled to the floor.

The other guard raised his gun, but was quickly tackled by two other Shadowbolts. You nodded at them and kept moving.

You led your squad through the endless hallways, taking paths you had walked many times before. During your year here, you had learned the paths, the guard placements, the security rooms. But you had your eyes on one prize.

The throne room was just two doors away.

As you burst into the hallway before the royal room, you saw the sergeant finishing off the two guards near the double doors. "Thanks, sarge!" you say as you kick open the heavy metal doors.

Celestia was gone, her single throne empty on the pedestal. The entire room only had four guards, who seeing the thestrals behind you quickly dropped their weapons and surrendered. As you motioned to handcuff them, a teal unicorn came running behind you.

"General, the castle is ours! The last pieces of resistance are being mopped up as we speak! This is a glorious day for our cause!"

"Indeed, it is." The voice swirled all around the room, like the night itself was speaking. As the dark cloud settled over Celestia's old throne, everyone bowed.

"You have done well, ______." Nightmare Moon settled into her sister's throne, it's once sunny decorations turning into lunar ones. "Total victory is within our reach."

"Empress..." You motioned to the prisoners, who were being led to the front. "What should we do with them?"

She gave a wicked smile. "Execute them."

Ah, jeez. You knew this was going to happen, yet hearing the words didn't make it any easier. Four thestrals lined up, their guns pointed. You raised you hoof, closed your eyes, then swiped it down.

Four gunshots rang out. Four bodies hit the floor.

"Children of the night, tonight we have triumphed over the sun! Tonight, we celebrate!"

A massive cheer broke out among the soldiers. You could only shake your head sadly and walk out. There was surely more executions to come, and you had more important business to attend to.

\---

Near Canterlot, where the partying was still in full force, with the occasional gunshot still ringing out, a thestral carried a dear friend back to his old home. Two houses, next to each other, both not used in forever.

Back when both of you had worked at the same factory, you had joked that it would be the death of both of you. You and he had made mock graves, filled with tombstones and everything.

You never thought you would actually have to use it.

Laying his body into the hole, you slowly filled it back up with dirt. It took a while, but eventually it was back to the way it was. Pulling out a flower from Canterlot, you set it on his tombstone. Then, not being able to bear it any longer, you flew away.

Two tombstones, one with an empty hole in it. Each made by each other.

_Shadowflyer _______

_The best friend I ever had. The joy in my life._


	9. The Choice

_It's finally over__,_ you think. _The war is finally over._

After many battles all across Equestria, the War of the Two Sisters, as it now called, had finally come to an end. The celestial resistance had been destroyed, the Equestrian army had capitulated, and Celestia herself was in the prison. Now, you stood as a warrior of honor in the crowning ceremony. Echo stood on your left, while Stars Whirl, who had come all the way from the south to attend, stood at your right.

All of you stood at rapt attention as the empress, Nightmare Moon, walked down the royal hallway. She sat at her single throne at the end, then began to speak.

"My loyal servants, today marks the end of this period of strife. Our Equestria, the Lunar Empire, has achieved victory over the enemy. Now, to tie up the last loose end."

She banged her hoof on the floor, and the doors opened. Princess Celestia, wrapped in chains, was escorted into the room.

"My sister has done nothing but prevent our noble cause, and even now she refuses to work with us. As such, I am left with no choice but to banish her to the moon!"

A few ponies gasped, but most knew that this was going to happen. It was the revenge of a thousand years.

Magic gathered around Nightmare Moon's horn. Just as she was about to fire, you could see Celestia bow her head in sadness.

Then she was obscured by pure magic, sending her off all the way to the moon.

Once the magic had settled, Nightmare Moon continued. "Now that I am the only diarch remaining, I must take my place as a single monarch of the Lunar Empire!"

Everyone gave a cheer for their empress. After a few seconds, she stomped her hoof again, and everyone fell silent.

"Now, we must rebuild our great empire! Create new homes, new factories. But also, create new laws that will make sure this will never happen again!"

Everyone gave another cheer. Then, with a wave of a hoof, they slowly filed out of the royal hall.

You, tired of the politics, the bloodshed, the endless war, could finally relax. You walked back to your old bed, the one you slept in before the war began. Getting in, you finally found some real rest, knowing that you were no longer needed.

\---

As you tiredly walked the halls of the Lunar palace in Canterlot, sleepy from the partying of the Endless Moon Celebration, a night messenger hurriedly stops you from behind. "I'm sorry, sir," he says, "but the empress herself told me to bring this to you."

You rip the letter open with one fluid motion, revealing only a few words in fine print.

_The chariot is outside. Don't be late._

You groaned. You should have known that the few weeks of relaxation were too good to be true. Nightmare Moon obviously wanted you to crack down on some rebel groups, or train some thestrals, or something of that sort. As much as you hated it, though, a summons was a summons.

Galloping outside, you find the royal night chariot waiting for you. Hopping on, the four lunar guards fly off into the night.

Over the Everfree Forest. The stars and moon were beautiful tonight. If only the pony behind them could be the same.

The ride stops at the Castle of Two Sisters, now renamed the Lunar Castle. Here was where Nightmare Moon originally fought Celestia and was banished to the moon. Later, it was where she transformed back into Luna. Now, it was where the empress resided.

As you walk in, you see Nightmare Moon waiting for you above. You bow.

"So empress, what is it? Do I need to pacify resistance? Train some soldiers? Reinforce the Changeling border?"

"No, your military advice is not required. I need a different type of advice right now."

Now this was getting slightly weird. You hadn't been asked anything except warfare since before Luna transformed. _What could it be?_ you wondered.

"I may be a changed pony, but do not think I forgot why I came here in the first place. It was to bring equality to Equestria. Once my alter ego, Luna, failed at that peacefully, I was forced to intervene."

You gave a slight eye roll. Sure, the bomb did warrant some action, but a civil war may have been too much.

"She has stayed silent ever since then. But now, Luna wants me to finish what we started. Not to bring a reign of terror and night, but to being peace to thestrals. And surprisingly, I find a bit of myself agreeing with her."

_No, _you thought. _That's impossible. Luna is gone._

"So now, I come to you for advice. With the army off helping the loyalists defend the southwest, I am left to reform society. So how should I do this? Should thestrals be the highest race, in a world of eternal night? Or should I listen to Luna or finish what all three of us started?"

_Sweet Luna, she's serious._ Is this what it felt like to be a alicorn? Making decisions that would change Equestria forever? Because if so, the job didn't really appeal to you anymore.

You could feel the pendulum swinging in the room. This decision in Nightmare Moon was on a thin ledge both ways; one push would be all took for her to fall one way or another.

You take a deep breath. "Well, my empress," you start, "it's true that following the path we started on is what I want. But I also can't forget all the injustices we had to face for so many years."

You close your eyes while taking another breath.

"With that being said, I think we need to..."


End file.
